static | BUCKY BARNES

3

In the early hours of the morning before the sun rises, Bucky lies awake staring at the ceiling. His mind toys with the thought of being in the same building as someone else like him. As much as he hates that HYDRA tortured and twisted another person, he can't help but almost feel excited.

As soon as he hears the alarm clock from Steve's room on the opposite side of the wall Bucky's bed is pressed against, Bucky sits up and throws his sheets off of his body. He throws on a random long-sleeve shirt over his white tank top and pulls on some jeans. He doesn't dally and immediately exits his room.

As soon as he steps into the hallway, he nearly runs into Steve. Bucky smirks at Steve's bed head, which is usually combed to perfection.

"Nice hair."

Steve raises his brow. "Nice bags."

"Bags?" Bucky questions, confused. His brow pulls forward.

Steve motions to Bucky's face. "Under your eyes. Are you not sleeping well again? You know they have medication to help—"

"No, no I'm fine," Bucky dismisses. "I just have a lot on my mind." There's actually only one thing on his mind, actually, but he doesn't say. Steve would just tease him.

"Okay." Steve nods, but it's evident that he doesn't believe Bucky's words. He slips his hands into his pockets. "Well, if you want, I was going to go visit our guest we brought in last night after I freshened up. You want to tag along?"

Bucky holds back an immediate yes and nods stiffly. "Yeah, yes. Sure."

Steve narrows his eyes. "I know that you were a ladies man back in the day, but this is different; she's—"

"Steve, please," Bucky groans. He honestly doesn't really remember much of those times Steve was referencing, but he does know that he used to be a cocky flirt and good with smooth-talking his opposite gender. Who he was isn't who he is anymore, and to be honest, that's not the reason why he wants to see this new girl so bad. Part of him is glad that he's not alone, and the other part can't believe it. He has to see it to believe that there is someone like him.

Steve lets out a chuckle. "Okay, okay. Sorry." He raises his hands in apology. "I'll go get changed and stuff, and I'll come by and get you and we can go see how she's holding up together, yeah?"

"Yeah."

Steve gives a short nod and small smile before parting. Bucky releases a breath and runs his hand through his hair—or, at least he tries to. His fingers get caught in a tangle in his long hair.

Untangling his fingers from his dark locks, Bucky turns and crosses his room into his bathroom to freshen up a bit, too. He combs his hair, but when he looks in the mirror, it's all frizzy and looks like he just got electrocuted. Sighing, Bucky looks away from his reflection. He starts to turn to leave in defeat but stops short when he spots a black hair tie by the sink. Thor had Bucky's room until he returned to rule Asgard by Loki's side, so he assumes Thor left the hair tie by mistake. Bucky has seen Thor put his hair up into a bun when his hair was longer, so could he put his up too?

Playing with the idea and picturing himself with a bun, Bucky decides to go for it.

With his hair off the back of his neck, Bucky walks out of his bedroom and into the hall. He waits for a few minutes before Steve shows up. His hair is combed and his breath is minty—classic Captain America.

Steve's eyes glide over Bucky's hair, but he doesn't say anything about it. Instead, he just smiles, and then the duo are on their way to the medical floor. The elevator ride is silent; Steve busies himself with his advanced watch that contains a list of appointments and meetings, and Bucky can hardly stand still from anxiety, anticipation, and a hint of excitement.

They step out of the elevator once it hits the medical floor. It only takes a few long strides for them to reach the room with the girl the Avengers brought in.

Bucky's excitement leaves his body in a rush as soon as he steps into the room. Steve walks up from behind him, but stops when he sees Tony standing at the foot of the white hospital bed. His eyes flicker back and forth between the billionaire and the very awake girl, no older than twenty-two, sitting cross-legged on top of the sheets on the bed. Her eyes are wide and blue, her hair is black and drapes over her muscular shoulders. Her face isn't hard like Bucky expected from a former HYDRA soldier. Her doe eyes and slightly parted thin lips make her look more innocent. How could she, out of everyone, be a murderer?

For unknown reasons, Bucky feels like he should've been the first one the girl meets. He's just like her, he knows the trauma she's been through! Why is Tony here?

Tony turns at the sound of the men entering the room. The girl's eyes snap from Tony to the pair, her gaze stilling on Bucky. She drops her gaze to his metal hand poking out of his long-sleeve shirt. That's when Bucky realizes something; not only does the girl have a metal arm like him, but so is her other arm and both of her legs. Bucky can't peel his eyes off her metallic limbs. The more he studies her, the more he notices. Like her eyes—they're different. There's silver rings around her pupils that move as she focuses on different things in the room.

"May we help you?" Tony asks, folding his hands in front of him.

Bucky and the girl lock eyes. Her piercing gaze cuts through Bucky's heart. He swears he can actually feel her stare. He wonders if she can feel his.

Steve closes the door behind him. He tries not to stare at the conscious girl, whom he thought up until now was still unconscious. "What's going on?"

He took the words right out of Bucky's mouth.

Tony shifts his weight. "Oh, our little friend decided to wake up."

The girl looks at Tony. Her brow furrows. "Friend?"

"Sure." Tony crosses his arms. "Anyways," he says, turning back to the men, "if you don't mind, we were in the middle of Static telling me what she remembers."

"I told you already," the girl, Static, says with frustration. "I don't remember anything. I can't—I don't even know who I am." Distress pinches her features. She pulls her knees up to her chest and wraps her shiny arms around her metal legs. "You said my name is . . . is Static? And why do I have metal arms and legs? What happened?"

Bucky, still speechless, looks to Steve beside him. Steve asks, "You don't remember anything?"

Her wide blue eyes snap to him. "No." something else crosses her features as she takes in the men in the room: fear. She, a soldier with metal limbs who has killed hundreds, is scared.

She doesn't remember anything. She doesn't remember assassinating anyone, being tortured, training, the brutality of the evil scientists. She's like a blank slate.

And Bucky's a little jealous.

The girl cradles herself and squeezes her eyes shut. "Can someone please tell me what's going on?"

Tony and Steve exchange a look. Neither speak at first, so Bucky breaks his silence. He steps forward and says, "You're safe now."

Static's eyes open. They rest on Bucky and draw him nearer as he takes another step and perches himself on the edge of her bed. The rings of silver lock on him. He stays hesitant and doesn't get too close to her.

The girl doesn't take her eyes off of him. He can't take his eyes off her.

She's real. She's real. She's real.

Bucky pulls up the sleeve of his shirt to his elbow. He flexes his hand and turns it around, the light catching the shiny surface. The girl looks at his arm before lifting her gaze to meet Bucky's.

He smiles softly, hopefully bringing her a sense of comfort. "I'm just like you."